Nauvoo Mission 6/20/2012

Hello everyone from the heartland of america the winter wheat in being harvested and 60% of all the exported wheat and corn flow down the Mississippi from this area. The first picture is me at the brickyard making mini bricks for our guests, same material, same process just smaller. The saints in Nauvoo made about 1 million bricks a year, very labor intensive process. They built 35o brick homes here. Kind of fun learning the process and seeing the results, people love the free little red brick. The next picture is of Mom and I hanging out with Ben and Earl our in resident oxen. Very gently and calm, they respond to 5 voice commands. They are lead not driven. Talk about big and strong, most of the wagons that left Nauvoo in 1846 were ox lead.
They eat anything and the yoke in much less money than bridles needed for horses. We have read about oxen but being next to them is really fun. Pretty much the same around here work, musicals, musicals, musicals, sleep. The weather is really hot and humid now much like we expected and everyone says it gets worse. My shirt is wet all day. Mom gets to work in AC sites all the time. We are enjoying all the people and the excitement that is in the air, very special feeling. We love and miss you all, take care.

Nauvoo Mission 6/12/2012

Hi Gang, This has been a very busy but exciting and rewarding week. Lots of people at the sites and in the streets. It's more like we expected. The crowds at the performances especially at Sunset are large, we had over 800 on Tues. We always do Rendevous twice each night now. The picture is of Sunset, it starts out with a childrens parade. The kids color the paper hats and follow the brass band on a march through the audience waving the flag. You can see the old folks chorus in the back with the straw hats. The stage for pageant is almost finished, we turn it over to the Arts people this week, just some little odds and ends left. Sunday we worked in the visitors center, it was great. I spoke with a non member couple who said they thought is was time to learn something about the Mormons since we were going to have one running for Pres.
They watched a film and went out to the sites. It is so great to have so much available to visitors that explain the Gospel. BYU Ball Room dancers were here also, they put on live performers for the whole week after Sunset and also a fireside Sun. evening. We love working here, it is so peaceful and the spirit is everywhere. The other picture is a scene in Rendevous of George and Agatha. Mom and I are just about ready to do this. Happy birthday to Mitch, Molly and Megan last week. We love you and miss you.

Nauvoo Mission 6/3/2012

This is a picture of the "Sunset Show. It is on an outdoor stage. We are in it two nights a week. Next week the BYU ballroom dancers start giving a show right after this one every night. Dad and I have not performed our part yet in our play. We are still practicing it. The other picture is of the Temple Quarry site. We are very busy. More and more people are coming now. It is more fun when it is busy, not so much sitting and waiting. We went to the temple on our P day and then to the sites that belong to the other church. There is so much going on at once here for the summer guests. We had our zone conference tonight and got some great teaching. This week after Sunset we went down Parley Street where the Trail of hope is and the young missionaries gave stories and songs along the way. We are so proud of Luke for his

graduation and Theo for his baptism this week. We miss you all and love you all!!,Take care!

Mom & Dad